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Josh Elliott out at CBS after sign-off controversy

LOS ANGELES - Josh Elliott landed at CBS News with a new road before him - anchoring a new streaming-video outlet that provided a running newsfeed for info junkies. On Monday, CBS showed him a different path: through the door.

Elliott and CBS News are parting ways, according to a spokeswoman for the CBS Corp. unit, just days after the news outlet has indicated the former "Good Morning America" staffer was being groomed for bigger things.

At the root of the separation, according to a person familiar with the situation, was a sign-off by Elliott late last week during his CBSN broadcast. He told viewers he was leaving the broadband outlet to take up new duties reporting for other CBS News properties. And indeed, CBS News confirmed that move in the hours after Elliott made his announcement.

The trouble? Elliott's maneuver appears not to have been coordinated with CBS News executives.

Elliott had met recently with Laurie Orlando, the senior vice president overseeing talent at CBS News, the person familiar with the matter said. At that meeting, the prospect of new responsibilities is believed to have been raised. But none of those career changes are believed to have been vetted by others. At the very least, no one expected Elliott to disclose them publicly.

"CBS News and Josh Elliott are parting ways. Josh will no longer be reporting for CBS News," the unit said in a prepared statement. "We are grateful for his contributions over the last year, and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors."